Leading Off (9/6/13)

Dallas Police Name ‘Person of Interest’ in Serial Rape Investigation. DPD reportedly received a tip that has led them to look for 29-year-old Alan Mason of Dallas in connection with the sexual assaults of nine women in the Fair Park area. Let’s hope the cops are able to close this case swiftly. UPDATE, 7:30 a.m.: Police have taken Mason into custody.

Ogling Blonde Makes Heroes of 2 Teenagers. You may have heard last week about the woman who was kidnapped off Bryan Street in downtown Dallas and rescued in Kaufman County. Now we know more about how she was saved by two teenagers who just happened to pull up next to the car she was being held in, at a stop sign in Seagoville. “I was like ‘Oh man, look at this lady, she’s hot! Like look, she’s attractive!’” one of the boys said. They made eye contact with her and saw her mouth the words “Help me.” So they followed the other car and called 911. The audio of their call has been traveling every which way on the web.

DA Craig Watkins Launches Criminal Investigation of Contempt Case Against Him. The probe is looking into whether two other judges improperly influenced District Judge Lena Levario to hold him in contempt. Subpoenas have been issued. So what we have here — if all possible wrongdoing that’s been alleged has occurred — is a payback investigation of a payback contempt charge due to a political-favor indictment requested because of a dispute over legal fees. Two possible wrongs don’t equal a right, but once you get as many as four, it becomes increasingly difficult to care who’s right.

Irving OKs Neighborhood at End of a Runway. Despite the recommendations of the city’s zoning commission and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport officials, the Irving City Council approved the development a 700-home neighborhood that will sit as close as 600 feet from one runway, and will be situated between two runways that see up to 300 landings and takeoffs a day. DFW’s chief of environment affairs told the council that residents of other cities already complain about “jet fuel and oily gook” spraying down on their patio furniture from jets passing above and that the problems in this proposed neighborhood will be “exponentially worse.” “I wouldn’t want to live there, but I’m comfortable with it,” zoning Commissioner Chris Allen said after the developer’s pitch in July. “I don’t really feel it is the job of this entity or the government to protect people from their own stupidity.” Sad thing is, if the local real estate market stays as hot as it’s been, these houses may well sell.